


every year

by cwtchbuddy



Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: Halloween, I don't wanna tag cause I don't wanna spoil, M/M, Minor Character Death, Nothing scary though (I think?)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-15
Updated: 2018-02-15
Packaged: 2019-03-18 18:09:39
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,753
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13687041
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cwtchbuddy/pseuds/cwtchbuddy
Summary: "Did you come to collect me?” Yixing’s voice echoes in the room. It is bare, aside from the few boxes of memories he keeps in one corner.“No,” Yifan replies, watching as the human flips to another page in the album, the last one. There’s a photo of a woman, one Yifan remembers clearly, chocolate brown hair like Yixing’s, smile soft like Yixing’s and voice gentle like Yixing’s. He continues to watch the man as he closes the album, tucks it in between two others inside the box before looking up to Yifan.“No or not yet?” Yixing asks. Only then does Yifan notice the red rimming his eyes and the tears that threaten to spill from them.Every year, on the same day, Yifan visits him.Every year, on the same day, Yixing sees the man who took his mother away.Every year, on the same day, they share a moment with each other.





	every year

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Hornet394](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Hornet394/gifts).



> Written as a Secret Santa (more like Valentine's day) gift for Charlotte! Sorry it's late and very short (T ^ T) This probably doesn't fit your prompt perfectly but I hope you'll still enjoy it!(＞人＜;)
> 
> I barely edited this so I apologize in advance for any grammatical errors!

iii.

“Did you come to collect me?” Yixing’s voice echoes in the room. It is bare, aside from the few boxes of memories he keeps in one corner.

“No,” Yifan replies, watching as the human flips to another page in the album, the last one. There’s a photo of a woman, one Yifan remembers clearly, chocolate brown hair like Yixing’s, smile soft like Yixing’s and voice gentle like Yixing’s. He continues to watch the man as he closes the album, tucks it in between two others inside the box before looking up to Yifan.

“No or not yet?” Yixing asks. Only then does Yifan notice the red rimming his eyes and the tears that threaten to spill from them.

Every year, on the same day, Yifan visits him.

Every year, on the same day, Yixing sees the man who took his mother away.

Every year, on the same day, they share a moment with each other.

vi.

Yixing looks around the room. It’s empty. He had expected to see the grim reaper already standing by the window since he likes to block the little patch of sunlight that passes through the leaves of the tree standing just outside this old room. The tree that Yixing planted with his mother.

He sighs and trudges to the corner where the box is and carries it to the part of the room where the light pools. One by one he pulls out the contents of the box; four albums, picture frames, letters, postcards, his mother’s remaining jewelry and her favourite handkerchief, a gift that 10 year-old Yixing bought for her birthday. He didn’t know that 10 years later that would be the last thing she would be holding aside from his hand. He picks it up and holds it against his cheek, remembering the warmth of his mother’s hand. Yixing breathes in deeply, inhaling what remaining scent his mother left before he moves the handkerchief to his chest. He reaches for an album and starts his routine.

Halfway through the third photo album, he looks up and finds that the man’s spot is still empty. Yifan. He remembers his name. He hadn’t expected for him to give a name either as much as he didn’t expect to see him again after his mother’s death. He didn’t believe in the supernatural before that but seeing Yifan taking his mother’s soul away made it hard for him to not believe. After that, he tried to do things to be able to talk to his mother, even seeking out the grim reaper himself. But, without knowing how to address him and most of the methods he tried being nothing but scams, he quickly gave up and turned to reminiscing with the things his mother left behind instead.

Once he is done, Yixing returns the box to its corner and gets a good look in the room. His mother’s old room. He feels a hole in his heart at the bareness of it, something he has never felt before. At first he thought that it was only because he misses his mother but he soon realizes that the company, thought silent, that Yifan gives him on this specific day is something that he has gotten used to and because the grim reaper did not appear, he feels twice more melancholic. It’s as if two people have been taken away from him.

Yixing tries to shake off the feeling and leaves the room.

But it stays.

ii.

“Why do you always visit the child?” Lu Han asks, as they come back from another trip, having already escorted the new soul into heaven.

Lu Han saw him sneak out last time he met Yixing. Only a few deaths are allowed on October 31st as the line that separates their world and the mortal plane practically disappears on that day, allowing for normal human beings to easily see them. He wanted to avoid the conversation but Lu Han is adamant and has been following him around ever since, wanting to be given an answer.

“He is not a child.” Yifan says against gritted teeth, quiet as they weave through the crowd of grim reapers. Yifan hates crowds.

“And that’s how you justify your actions? We are technically centuries old.” Lu Han tells him, loud even as they pass by grim reapers who have been there before them. Then the other grabs Yifan by the arm and pulls him down. “Don't tell me.” Lu Han looks at him with a mischievous sparkle in his eyes, you wouldn’t think he’s a grim reaper at all. “You’ve fallen for that kid?”

The other’s words shake Yifan and he pushes Lu Han away from him quickly.

“It is not like that.” Yifan fumes as he dusts off the area that Lu Han touched. “You will never understand.” He flees immediately before Lu Han can catch up to him, losing the other in the crowd. Sometimes he likes the crowds.

 _Fall for a human_. Yifan scoffs. _Never_.

iv.

“You are not to see him anymore, Yifan.” Lu Han tells him, serious and straightforward. “You can’t.”

Yifan doesn’t say a word, only looks at the horizon, the sun already rising for another day. October 31st.

“One last time.” He says solemnly, resigned of the fate he has chosen.

“You are asking to be banished.” Lu Han whispers, shocked.

Yifan looks the other in the eyes and gives him a small smile, something he rarely, if never, shows to anyone. It’s quick and he doesn’t let Lu Han say anything more. He takes a few steps forward then into the clouds, plunging down into the earth.

Time to see Yixing.

i.

Yixing’s eyes dart to the flat line on the monitor then to his mother. The doctor quickly moves to resuscitate her, giving the nurses instructions over the commotion. Yixing wants to run and shake his mother awake but his knees are weak and he falls to the ground as the medical staff pump the ambubag, push down his mother’s chest, break ampules of epinephrine and inject the drug to her veins. All he can do is watch, helpless and hopeless as the sound of the flat line ring in the air.

After many failed attempts, another doctor comes in and declares his mother dead. Yixing knows what it means. He has been dreading this day and wishing it will never come. He looks at his mother’s lifeless body, her favourite handkerchief still in her hand.

The doctors and nurses leave to give him time alone with his mother before they clean her and send her body to the morgue. Yixing finds the energy to be by his mother’s side, one last time. His lips shake as he tries to control his tears, knowing his mother will not return anymore.

“Mama,” he whispers, as one of his hands takes his mother’s while the other wipes the tear that rolled down her cheek. “Mama.”

He knows it is real, that his mother is dead now. That no matter how loud or how soft he calls her, she will not hear it anymore. Yixing bites at his lips and allows a tear to escape. He knew this will happen, that someday his mother will leave him but he wished it wasn’t so soon. He allows himself to grieve as it is normal, sobbing uncontrollably as he hugs her, kisses her temple and her hand.

From the corner of his eye he sees a shadow move to the other side of the bed and take a human form right before his eyes. When he makes eye contact with the man, his jaw drops. He is unable to say anything, shocked at what he just witnessed. The man seems to be surprised as well, eyebrows knitted as he looks at Yixing.

Then something else, something white forms at the foot of the bed and it catches Yixing’s attention.

“No,” he says just above his breath. “No.” He repeats, this time louder as he sees the form take shape. It’s his mother. “No!” He shouts as he moves to the end of the bed, trying to hold on to his mother, only to touch nothing but air. “Mama! No!”

Yixing’s mother smiles but does nothing more as she follows the man. Yixing tries to grab her, hug her even though he knows that each movement and all efforts will be fruitless. He meets eyes with the man again just before they disappear and he sees something in them. He would like to think it is pity but something tells Yixing it is something else. And just like that, he had lost his mother. Twice.

v.

Yifan pats his breast pocket where flowers are peeking out from, white, small and delicate. He looks down and sees the sunlight color it orange and yellow, soft at the tips and strong at the core. Eternal love is what it means and despite not knowing whether Yixing will understand it, Yifan is excited about him seeing it. For the last four years, Yixing has seen him in nothing but his plain black suit so he knows the other would immediately notice the flowers. With a skip in his steps, Yifan closes in on the edge of the cliff and makes sure the flowers are safe before making the jump. The wind blows at his face quite harshly but he doesn’t mind, spreading his lips for a smile as he slowly descends to earth.

But the descent seems to be taking longer than usual and it starts to worry him. From the corner of his eye he sees a black figure pierce through the clouds to his right and then another on his left, another to his front, one by one they enter to surround Yifan. His hand instantly flies to the twig of flowers on his pocket and he clutches it.

_Why did it take me this long? Long enough for them to notice?_

A single tear rolls down his cheek, something that shouldn’t even happen. Only humans can cry.

Too preoccupied with his emotions, he doesn’t notice the figures take shape and get closer. And soon the white clouds are exchanged for grey ones, thunder and lightning roaring and lighting up the sky. Foreboding. He knows what will happen to him and yet he is hopeful that his end will be swift and forgettable.

As long as he doesn’t forget Yixing. His smile, his gentle voice, his love.

And then everything is swallowed by darkness.

Even his memories.

**Author's Note:**

> I was going to add a bonus but I want to keep it open ended instead. /),(\


End file.
